AN: Well! Another day another Bastion chapter! The final parts of the first pillar! After this, we have two more chapters to go then the finale! I hope you are ready for one helluva ending! In this one, we see the repercussions of Jaune's inspired dust acquisitions! The way ARKM tends to unwind, a big hint to Mika's semblance! Which is revealed sooner rather than later! And much more! So stay tuned and as always... thanks.

Jaune was having a great Bastion day.

"Boss. This is going to get us all shot to death." Kage said as the roar of engines filled their ears. Thir custom bullhead swinging up alongside an Atlas train. The blonde leader and very reluctant friend of his smile ear to ear as he drew his plasma pistol.

"Kage you worry too much! This is going to be a great day!" Jaune said as Kage rolled his eyes.

"You say that now but when this shit comes back to bite us in the ass?"

"Which it won't."

"Which it will Jaune. It's only a matter of time."

"Kage you worry too much!" Jaune said as he flexed his legs, the bullhead coming to a full stop hovering over the train, bright searchlights flooded out from the train washing over the bullhead glaring up as the team leaped into the train. Four figures landed on the trains deck covered by the bullhead as Jaune drew his pistol.

"Jaune! What's the plan?" Ruby asked rifle up as the confused and now worried members of the train's staff rushed out to see who was landing on the train.

"You know the drill. The Dust." Jaune said as he smiled...

"I still think that this is going to end badly," Kage said the four team members walking back into Bastion. Team ARKM had returned from yet another successful raid out into the wilds. Another Atlas train had been liberated free from its dust shipment. The train carrying tons of dust for the SDC was now much lighter the dust going back to Bastion where it would be put to far better use.

"You are worrying too much Kage! We are doing Bastion a service!"

"What are you going to do when Ludo finds out where this dust comes from? The hell we going to do then?" Kage asked in a monotone voice that held traces of sarcasm with a tinge of fear.

"We are doing Ludo a service, Kage. He is going to be grateful for our work."

"Yeah, Kage! This is going great!" Mika chirped raising her green ax in a show of triumph as the team walked down the empty Bastion hallway.

"Mika you will excuse me if I do not take the words from you very heavily, you are not one to make sound decisions when it comes down to long-term benefits."

"Oh, you are just a big sourpuss! Jaune tell Kage to be happy!"

"Can you be happy?" Ruby of all people said smiling ear to her face eye zooming out of her skull as it winked at Kage. The baleful crimson glow from it seemed less terrifying as-

"I threw your mom in a meat grinder," Kage said with no hesitation. His mocha like eyes glaring down into Ruby's silver one as-

"Oh, Kage! Stop playing around! Threw my mom in a meat grinder? What's wrong with you?" Ruby asked giggling a loud snort leaving her mouth as Kage groaned.

"Kid. I'm not joking I threw your mom in a meat grinder."

"Right. I threw your mom in a meat grinder! Good one!"

"It's not a joke. I tossed her in a meat grinder."

"Right! You've never even met my mom! How could you toss her in a meat grinder if you never even met her?"

"I-

"Nice try Kage! Since when did you get a sense of humor anyway? You usually have the personality of a rock!" Ruby said as she teased Kage? Both Jaune and Mika gagged, Ruby, Ruby Rose was teasing someone, and not just anyone. Her teammate Venke Kage who had until recently terrified her and-

"Are you teasing me?" Kage asked his eyes raised in incredulity as-

"Of course I am!"

"Stop it!"

"Nope!"

"Stop it!"

"Nope!"

"Why are you teasing me?"

"Because you make it so easy Venke!"

"Venke?! It's Kage-

"I know but your first name is Venke, and I call all my friends Venke and you are my friends! Venke." Ruby said smiling putting her hands behind her back linking her fingers and leaning forward, making her head cock to the side as she laughed.

"Stop that!"

"Stop what Venke?"

"Stop calling me that!"

"Why?"

"Cause you're ticking me off!"

"But you are cute when you get mad!"

Jaune was not seeing right. Ruby. Ruby Rose was teasing kage. And Kage... Kage was blushing? Jaune would not believe it if he did not see it himself. One second they were just walking down the hall as conquering heroes or raiders. As they were just coming back from stealing dust now? Now Ruby was teasing Kage who did admittedly have the facial expression and movement of a doorknob. Like he was Weiss. And he and Mika had fallen into comfortable lockstep behind them smiling ear to ear as it happened.

"They look so cute," Mika said grinning as she covered her mouth not to draw Kage's attention as he futilely tried to get Ruby to leave him alone.

"They do, don't they?"

"Can't wait to tell Zach this. He won't believe Ruby teased Kage and made him blush!" Mika squealed as despite himself Jaune smiled.

"I'm seeing it right now, and I still don't believe it," Jaune admitted as Mike pulled out a scroll.

"Just gonna record this real fast! Gonna send the Video to Hino, she's gonna be so thrilled! The big bad Kage getting bullied by Ruby!? Who would have believed it?"

"No one who didn't see and even then they would have trouble," Jaune said as Mika recorded the bickering pair, Ruby teasing Kage making him blush and stutter as he looked woefully out of his element on the defensive end-

"Are you recording us!?"

"Yup!"

"Put that down!"

"Nope!"

"Jaune! Do something!"

"Mika."

"Yes, mister ~Boss man~?"

"Put down the scroll."

"Aww!"

"Thank you!"

"And be sure to send the video to Hino and Zach," Jaune said with a malicious grin as Kage gasped.

"What!?"

"You got it!"

"Jaune?!"

"Kage it's just a video."

"It's not!"

"You are so adorable!"

"No, I am not!"

"Kage. You are cute."

"I am not damn cute!"

"Yes, you are."

"Super cute!"

"Adorable!"

"I'm going to burn this team to the ground."

"After we eat, don't burn anything down so soon k?"

"So let me get this straight, you lot went from death's door to sitting in the lap of luxury? The fuck did you pull that off?" Zach asked scarfing down some type of meat. Jaune guessed it to be lamb?

Into his gullet as Jaune smiled.

"Well, Zach we got out of it by being smarter than others. I was able to think of a way to get us out."

"That's a helluva way to put it."

"Thank you, Kage! Your input is as always appreciated." Jaune said through gritted teeth as the one! Member of his team that was not happy at their new success at his steak and fried tubers. Crunching down the fried vegetable spiked with far too much salt along with his meat.

"What's got his hair in a knot? You get rejected by a girl?" Zach asked as Kage shook his head.

"My leader is determined to get me killed."

"Hah! Fat chance. You are too stubborn to die and with that damn semblance? Jaune make sure to aim for the head with him K? Double tap."

"Zach. I won't kill my teammate."

"Why? You'd be doing the world a favor if you blew his brains out." The ghost skinned boy said chomping down on his food as-

"Zach! That is not a very nice thing to say to our friend now is it?"

"Merrick!?" Zach almost screamed as the paper skinned crimson eyed leader came over. Appearing at the table for the first time Jaune could ever remember with a tray of vegetables and pork in his hands.

"Merrick? I've never seen you here before." Jaune said as the boy smiled a toothless grin that set Jaune's heart at ease.

"Ah don't take offense Jaune. I just have been rather swamped as of late. I can assure you I have not been avoiding you. We are team leaders after all. We should get along after all." Merrick said smoothly as Zach and Hino went ramrod straight. Both teens freezing to start eating as their leader sat down between them.

He still wore a loose white button up shirt, that hung off his body, a low messy blue tie hung from his neck and he had on a pair of blue jeans.

"Merrick." Ruby hissed through gritted teeth her eye zooming in on him as he fixed her an even smile.

"Ruby so good to see you, how's the hearing? Not deaf yet are you?"

"No thanks to you."

"Of don't be like that! Ruby, we are friends right?"

"NO! No, we are-

"Ruby! Don't yell at Merrick! What did he ever do to you?" Jaune reprimanded his best friend as-

"Jaune!"

"Yes? What's wrong with Merrick? What did he do? Did he do something to you?" Jaune asked eyes narrowing as-

Zach and Hino both began frantically shaking their heads. Zach running a finger across his neck as Hino's wide brown eyes went wide with fear. Her short brown bangs along with her ample chest shaking as she mouthed don't.

"No... Merrick is my friend too." Ruby said as both Zach and Hino looked ready to faint.

"Good. Now shouldn't you apologize to him?"

"Oh, there is no need for that Jaune. Ruby is just nervous! Besides me and she will be spending much more time together as she helps me with more philosophical problems now won't we Ruby?" Merrick asked a thin, calm grin split his lips making Ruby scowl.

"I guess so."

"Good! Now that we are all friends again, Jaune. Please do tell me where you are getting all this dust? You have delivered more dust to Bastion in the past few days than the school has had in most of its history. Tell me what's your secret?"

"Well-

"Jaune~Jaune! Do you really want to tell mean old Merrick team Arkham secrets?" Mika asked as Merrick gave her a warm smile that was bereft of all forms of heat as he closed his eyes.

"Mika I believe that the choice of what information your leader divulges rest squarely with him does it not?"

"It does!"

"Then why are you interrupting him?" Merrick asked the first tone of irritation Jaune had ever heard in his voice often sounded like a summer breeze on his ears.

"Oh, I'm just concerned about my leader's well being Merrick!" Mika said raising her voice to the boy her eyes squinting shut as she cocked her head in a blatant imitation of his.

"Oh hell, here they go again," Kage said shaking his head as-

"You need not worry your pretty little head, Mika."

"Oh, I think I do need to worry my pretty little head that you seem to be obsessing over like a voyeur."

"I am not obsessing over your leader Mika I-

"You sure sound like you do, are you a stalker?"

"I am not a stalker. I am just interested in how your team leader is getting so much dust for your team-

"Oh? And when the smooth tongue sociopath comes up and asks you for your team secrets you just give it to them?"

"Mika!"

"You? Calling me a sociopath? That is a more pot-kettle situation that I ever thought I would see."

"Are you trying to say something Merrick?"

"Not at all. Just pointing out the fact that the girl who turns her fellow student's into her clothing should be the last one to call out mine or anyone else's sense of mental acuity."

"Oh, big words from the sellout."

"Sell out?"

"Yeah, Jaune he's a total sell out!"

"Big words Smith, you seem a bit uppity today, now don't you?"

"I feel uppity Merrick! Especially when jumped up little psychopaths come over to try to screw over my team leader!"

"Funny. You spoke with so much emotion you almost sounded human. Almost." Merrick added a cold dagger in his tone as-

"Almost Human? What does that mean?" Jaune asked eyes narrowing on Merrick as he smiled.

"Oh, I don't know, Mika? Why don't you tell Jaune what I meant by almost human?"

"Oh, I don't know what he's talking about Jaune! I'm as human as everyone else here!"

"Fat fucking chance," Zach mumbled under his breath, finally speaking as

"What was that?!"

"Nothing!"

"No Zach speak. Mika will not scare my own teammate. Not on my watch." Merrick said eyes narrowing even shut as Mika gripped her knuckles tight.

"I don't know what you are talking about," Mika said in a sickly sweet tone that hid a wave of malicious intentions behind it. Her knuckles white and her arms tense.

"Oh, I'm just saying if all of us were fully human here then maybe we would have more... productive discussions?"

"Fully human? Merrick, why do people talk about Mika as if she is not human? She's just as human as you or me."

"Oh Jaune, she may pretend to be one of us, but she's only half human, at best."

"Watch your tongue!" Mika hissed her eyes flashing open sharp green glaring at Merrick as he smiled in a disgusting fluid manner.

"Oh Mika, don't sound so bad! Your colors are showing."

"Colors? Merrick-

"Jaune you may not know it, but you have seen more of Mika's... relatives then you would know," Merrick said as Jaune froze.

"Her relatives? When?"

"Well, I wouldn't blame you if you didn't realize it at the time. The last time you say her relatives they were trying to tear apart your comrade's limb from limb. And for you and Kage? Well, they would not have killed you. Well not in the traditional sense mind you, but they would have done something far worse than death." Merrick said his eyes opening in a calm glare as Mika shook.

Her fingers bit into the table as it cracked! Wood splintering as-

"Mika. Stop. Merrick, don't do this. You know what you are doing." Kage said his voice inhumanly neutral. Without a hint of emotion in it. One hand placed on her shoulder as he rubbed it gently. Mika didn't even seem to notice his touch as Merrick smirked.

"But what did I do? I said nothing wrong, now did I?"

"No. You're being antagonistic. Please stop." Kage said his hand perfectly still as it gripped her shoulder, Jaune saw that his other free hand had unclipped one pistol and was slowly drawing it under the table.

"Merrick, while I thank you for your concern. Mika is my teammate and my friend, so I would appreciate it if you did not try to irritate her."

"Oh Jaune, I'm not irritating-

"You are engaging!"

"Now, now Mika! If you want to really make someone mad why don't you just tell Jaune your semblance? And get that bombshell out of the way?"

"That's none of your business! You-

"Enough! Ok, Merrick, you were asking me how we got the dust right?"

"AH! A sensible answer, and question! Yes, Jaune please do tell me how you are doing this? Dust of this quality and quantity does not just lie around now, you know? How are you getting it?" Merrick asked his harsh blood eyes that hurt to look at locked onto Jaune as he smiled.

"We steal it."

"I figured as much. But from who? It must be quite the underground factions to produce this much dust with his level of quality to it. Tell me where does it come from?"

"It comes from the SDC," Jaune said-

You could hear a pin drop from a mile away. Merrick paused his mouth fell open and a legitimate shocked look past his face.

"Excuse me?" The boy asked his face taking on a legitimate expression of surprise and incredulity as-

"We steal them from the SDC. Why?"

"OK! Enough! Stop talking! Hino! Zach! Cover your ears we are leaving!" Merrick said standing up, instantly Hino and Zach stood up hands over their ears.

"Ok, Jaune it was a pleasure talking to you. I hope that we can do so again at a time of your convenience."

"Wait you are leaving?"

"Yes, I and my team are leaving before you can implicate us any more than you already have. Good day."

"What? Merrick-

"I said good day Jaune! Now if you excuse me, I must take my team for a training exercise. I wish you all the best in your current endeavors!" Merrick said bowing once at him and his team filed out of the cafeteria at record speed.

"That was weird."

"Sure was Ruby."

"I told you that stealing from the SDC was a bad idea."

"Kage calm down none of us are in any danger you know that?"

"No. I really do not know that Jaune. I do not know that at all. I think we are all going to die. And sooner rather than later."

"Why are you such a killjoy?"

"Yeah, Kage! Think of the positives! Like that jumped up little control freak isn't here anymore!"

Mika said happily with a cherry tone as Kage sighed.

"Mika just because you are immortal does not mean the rest of us are! When we get hurt, we are hurt. And when we die we stay dead!" Kage growled as Mika shrugged. Her perpetual cheer back to normal as her furs shifted with her slim arms.

"Eh? All people die someday right?"

"Stay dead? Mika?"

"Yes, Ruby?"

"What does that mean stay dead?"

"It means she will not stay down," Kage added with a roll of his brown eyes.

"Not stay down? Mika, you are a human right?"

"Of course I am Jaune~Jaune! I'm totally human! Completely human! Hell, I'm more than a hundred percent human! I'm the most human one at this table!"

"She's telling the truth," Ruby said her robotic eye zooming out and glaring at Mika with naked suspicion and clear ill intent.

"Oh, Ruby! Of course, I am! And I always will tell my friends the truth! No matter what nasty things your little eye may tell you!"

"You eye talks?" Kage asked his eyes wide in panic as his new free hand reached into his side and drew his pistol.

"Ruby-

"What?! No! My eye doesn't talk to me! That's ridiculous!" Ruby said her face sweating as her remaining biological eye began to shake.

"Ruby, if your eye is talking to you, you need to tell us. This is not a joke."

"Kage I'm fine!"

"Ruby-

"Kage. Mika. Ruby said she is fine, so she is fine ok? Leave her alone she's had enough."

"Thanks."

"Aw!"

"You really need to tell us if it starts talking to you. If it starts giving you advice? Do not listen to it. Period."

"I won't."

"Because it's not talking to you?"

"Yes, Venke! I won't listen to my eye that's not talking to me! Ok?"

"Ok. Just don't say I never warned you about this when it goes bad ok?"

"OK! Put your hands in the air and the dust in the bag!"

"We don't have bags you know that right Ruby?" Jaune asked his pistol raised as a terrified train driver waved his hands.

"We surrender! Take the dust but leave us be!"

"We want your dust, not your life, just help us load onto the Bullhead and you will see your family again."

"T-thank you!"

"Don't thank, move," Jaune growled his gas mask down as the piercing howl of Atlas blizzard forces buffeted him.

"Bossman! We got the back loaded up!" Kage shouted the boy now fully adorned in his repaired red plate. The armor glowed in the lights of the bullhead hovering above. The Vesperia provided light for them as Jaune smiled.

"OK! Everyone, I want this dust ready for transport! We got a long day ahead of us, and I want it down quick!" Jaune shouted as Ruby nodded.

"Arkham! On me! Let's load this dust and blow this pop stand!"

"Pop stand? Are you twelve?"

"I'm seventeen Venke! Thank you very much!" Ruby said through her scroll as the boy no half down the train sighed.

"If you say so, help her with the dust. I'd rather not die in the cold."

"Sure, sure. Jaune?"

"Help Kage, I'll be here."

"Got it!" Ruby said whirring away as Jaune smiled.

"Adam."

"Arc."

"Nice to see you again."

"You as well, tea?" Adam offered, showing Jaune a seat as the boy smiled.

"Thank you, I'd love some." Jaune accepted the faunus former terrorists offer as his new mentor sat him down on a straw mat in the Bastion gym.

The Bastion gym was ironically a normal one. Not different than any other gym Jaune ever knew. Wooden floors, seats to sit on, long rope hanging from the ceiling and several large lights illuminating the area. Jaune took his place across from Adam as the still masked man poured them two cups of tea from a large pot.

"So tell me Jaune how are your supply runs going? Good, I trust?"

"Better. We have only been on three, but we have so much to show."

"I am glad my friend. Tell me, have you run into any difficulties during them?" Adam asked raising his cup of steaming tea as Jaune did the same.

"A toast, to our continued friendship."

"A toast. To friendship." Jaune said as they clinked their glasses. The two sipped the tea at once, warm, soothing liquid fell into Jaune's lips as he sighed.

"Adam."

"Yes, Jaune?"

"Please answer a question for me."

"Oh? What question is that?"

"Tell me, why did you have me target the Schnee trains specifically?"

"Ah. You think I wanted you to harm the Schnee company?"

"I think you pointed me in their general direction and expected me to put two and two together," Jaune added as Adam smirked.

"Smart Jaune. Very well I did point you to the Schnee train with the hope that you would liberate the contents from the train."

"And when I did? How did that help you?"

"Well, on the one hand, I got to repay the man that broke me out of jail. And if the Schnee company gets damaged in the process? That's a win-win in my book." Adam said with a cruel grin as Jaune smiled at his tutor.

"Well, I'm glad that I and you could get along."

"As am I Jaune as I am. Would you care for a spar after this?"

"I would love to," Jaune said as he and Adam toasted as they shared a drink.

"The SDC?" The frozen downright frigid voice of Ludo hissed out of his mouth as he gripped his desk. His grey eyes no longer calm and cool but boiling with a cold fury like an angry thundercloud. The man glared at team ARKM as even Miss Hellfire backed away in fear as-

"Sir-

"The SDC!? Jaune?! What were you thinking!?"

"That I was going to get the dust! The dust you needed! That Bastion needed!"

"Don't play the Bastion angle with me! The SDC!? You robbed from the SDC!? Are you insane!?"

"NO! Sir-

"Jaune! Bastion needs dust to function! Who do you think supplies us with over sixty percent of all of our dust supply!?"

"I thought we mined it! That we have reserves!"

"We do! We do mine them! We do have reserves! But this!? Jaune the SDC is one of the only! Out of Bastion institutions that know about our existence! They supply us with dust!"

"Sir-

"And you robbed from them!? Are you mad?!"

"I was in a tough spot, sir! You threatened me! You threatened my team! What else was I going to do!?"

"NOT! Steal from one of the main dust suppliers in the world Jaune! That is what you were supposed to do!"

"I... I just wanted to save my team, sir."

"Well too bad Jaune. As of right now you and your team are sentenced for death."

"What?! Why!?"

"Jacques Schnee is demanding! The death of the ones who robbed from him. I'm sorry Jaune, but you leave me no choice." Ludo said snapping his fingers as all members of Arkham's collars began to blink blue and-

"Jaune?!"

"Boss I told you this was going to fucking happen! I even said sooner rather than later!"

"Whoa! I get to take a nap!" Mika said smiling wildly as-

"Sir wait!"

"There will not be a wait Mister Arc. You and your team will pay the price for your actions now-

"I can talk to him!" Jaune said as Ludo paused.

"What?"

"I can talk to him! Jacques! I can convince him to forgive you! And all of Bastion!" Jaune shouted as Ludo lowered his hands as the steady ting! Of the Bastion, collars filled the air. The blue lights slowly trickling down as Jaune felt the sweat roll down his neck.

"You think you can talk to Jaquess? What can you possibly say to him?"

"The faunus!"

"What?"

"The faunus! I am their god!"

"Jaune you surely know that-

"They don't! The mines! I can help him! No more faunus riots! I can help him! Make him see reason and! I can get your dust back!"

"Jaune... what you ask is a lot."

"I know it is sir but have I ever failed you?"

"Twice. Yes, you have."

"I won't do it now! But think of what I have done! All the victories I brought! The dead lands, the Kernal! The city, and the town?! I've done the impossible time and time again! Why can't I do it now?"

"Jaune those were extraordinary circumstances, I do not know if you can repeat them this time."

"I can do it, sir! Believe in me!"

"Jaune, if you fail all of Bastion is at risk!"

"If I fail! Sir, I will not fail!"

"Jaune... out of consideration for you many contributions you will have one and I do mean one chance to make this work. If you fail not only will your entire team die, your family in Ansel will not be safe either. Do I make myself clear Mister Arc?'

"Sir... yes sir. I will not fail you."

"Do not Mister Arc. If you do, the consequences will not be limited to your team."

"I fucking told you this would happen!" Kage hissed slamming Jaune's head into the wall of the Bullhead. The Vesperia was almost to Schnee Maison where Jaune was going to negotiate or more likely beg for his team's life.

"Venke! Please stop! You are hurting him!" Ruby said silver eye wide with fear, her metallic one zooming out and squinting as Kage pressed the bottom of his pistol of Jaune's neck.

"No Ruby! He got us into this mess! It's his fault we are all going to die!"

"I'm not!"

"You are a fucking immortal! You don't count!"

"Aww! party pooper!"

"Kage, please-

"NO! I Told you! I told you we were going to die!"

"Then what would you have me do!? If I did nothing, you would be dead right now!"

"I know that! I know we are fucked, but I don't fucking like it ok!?"

"I don't care! If you don't have a way out of this get the fuck off of me and let me get to work." Jaune hissed his voice cool as ice as Kage growled. Letting him go as he walked away.

"Fucking blondes. Going to get us all fucking killed."

"Mumble all you want! But this fucking blonde is going to save all of our asses ok?"

"Jaune are you ok?" Ruby asked blurring over to him as-

"Yeah, Ruby I'm fine. Now calm down I think I found a way out of this situation."

Jaune, as it turned out, did not have a way out of this situation.

"So tell me Mister Arc or Jaune? What would you like me to call you?" The calm condescending voice of Jaquess said as the man glared at him. He was dressed in a silver suit, that was easily more expensive than Jaune's entire home.

He had silver hair, grey eyes, a small black beard and a posture that spoke of arrogance and power. He looked a lot like Weiss in his color scheme and-

"Just Jaune sir."

"Well than Jaune tell me, how do you and your team want to die?" Jacques asked in a calm tone as-

"Sir I do not think we should-

"You don't think!? You don't think! You rob my trains! Killed my guards!"

"We didn't kill anyone!"

"The Fang did! And you are just as bad as them!"

"We didn't have a choice! If we did nothing, we would die!"

"And now you will all die anyway. And! Since you are such a troublesome bunch, I will make sure your family will suffer even more." The man said as Jaune felt his eye twitch.

"Sir? What are you talking about?"

"Your family you fool! People need to learn that they do not interfere with a Schnee!"

"But my family has nothing to do with it!"

"Well, they do now. You are a failure of a son Jaune! I wonder who I will target first? Your twin sisters are up or a gym competition soon. I wonder if they should have an accident? it would be a shame if sun promise gymnast were confined to living life in a wheelchair and eating out of a tube would it not?"

"What!? NO! Don't do that!"

"Or should I go after your mother? She's not taking your death well you know? She even has reportedly attempted suicide." The man said as Jaune felt like a fist had slammed into his gut.

"My... my mom attempted-

"Well I don't know but if she did bless her heart. The fact that she has feelings for a failure like you is remarkable!"

"You lie!"

"Do I? I wonder would I ask your sister Sapphron? Or her wife Terracotta? Or maybe I should take it up with your nephew? What was his name again? Adrian?"

"You leave them out of this!"

"I will do what I see fit Jaune. I am a Schnee. A man of power, a captain of industry! And you? You're the trash the gutter rats that seek to feed to the success of your betters. The parasites that grow fat of sucking the success of your betters! You are nothing but a miserable failure of a man, and I pray that your family will waste no time praying for you when-

"SHUT UP!"

Fisht! The sounds of supercharged air filled the air as Jaune snapped. He raised his plasma pistol that Jacques in his arrogance did not see fit to take raised it to the slobbering mouth of the man and opened fire on him.

The superheated ball of gas impacted the arrogant man's face in an instant.

The head jerked back, the man falling back, the upper half of his aura locked body melting, disintegrating into boiling slag. His flesh popped and fizzled and his suit burst into flames. As he fell back the rest of ARKM balked as the gun hissed with a low fizzle and-

"What. Did. You. DO!?" Kage shouted stalking forward rage in his eyes.

"You killed him!? You fucking killed him?! What the fuck!?"

"He was going to kill us! What did you want me to do!?"

"Jaune!? That was Weiss's dad! What are we going to do!? What are we going to tell her?!"

"Nothing! As for what we are going to do? I don't know-

"UM! Excuse me! Can... Can I make a suggestion?" A weak, timid voice said as all of team Arkham looked to the back of the office room where a boy? Was standing in the doorway. He was young younger than Ruby, and he looked remarkably like Weiss.

The boy crept in fear in his blue eyes along with what looked like ambition? His eyes held a strong sense of purpose? Like a man on a mission. As he walked forward, he had a timid look in his eyes, his legs moving him forward as he gulped.

"Who are you?"

"Me? I am Whitley Schnee. The son of the man you just murdered, and before you act! Please put away your weapons! I mean you no harm!" Whitley said waving his arms as the four-armed teens lowered their weapons slightly as he sighed.

"I must ask are you here to kill me like my father?"

"No... we are not here to kill you... why?"

"Good! Good! That means we can talk!" Whitley said some confidence in his voice coming back as he strode into the room uncaring of the dead still warm body of his father walking up to and right past the armed teens without a care in the world as she sighed looking at his father's corpse.

"Shame. Anyways! I know of Bastion and your roll, and I must say it is a tragedy! What happened to you was not your fault, and I would like to extend my deepest apologies to you all. Honestly."

"Ok... Whitley, why are you saying this?"

"Simple, Jaune? Can I call you Jaune? I want us to be friends."

Whitley said smiling as a low predatory grin split his face.

"Friends? You want something from us. What is it?"

"Simple. You want to have good relations with the SDC, and I want to be its new heir. Now sit down so we can talk business deals."

"Whitley Schnee. Grieving son of the late Jacques Schnee. And now Heir to the SDC. His father was killed by unknown faunus? Assailants and in his death throws gave full ownership of the SDC to his only son Whitley. Forgoing his former choice his daughter Weiss and skipping his eldest Winter. Whitley promises to be a new and innovative face to the SDC as it struggles with this tragedy."

Ludo finished reading the paper an unreadable look in his eyes as-

"And. With an eighty percent discount of all dust purchases from Bastion, along with priority trade deals. I think that negotiation worked nicely sir. Do you?" Jaune askes smiling ear to ear as Ludo pause before a low laugh that turned into a massive chortle filled the air.

"Jaune! You outdid yourself! Remind me to never doubt you in the future ok?"

"Of course sir. I am only here to help..."

AN: There it is! ARKM is in good standing! Jaquess bit the dust! Whitley is in charge rip Weiss. And Jaune and Arkm are on thier way! To fame or death! Probably both. Next chapter you get to see Mika's semblance! IT's like a virus, looks like a pox, and behaves like a plague! And you get to see just what our resident immortal can really do when she puts her mind to it! Hint it's a lot, also immortal is not just a fancy word here...

Omake. Hero of Remnant. A new start.

"Well, on one hand, we won't freeze to death."
"What was that commissar?" Ren asked one magenta eye-opening as Jaune looked out of the bullhead Window. The one hundred and eight as their name was now officially called were on the way to Vale. Specifically to Beacon the military youth school for future guardsmen. They would travel there to instruct the next generation of recruits. Whip them into shape with some real soldiers.

It was just a fluff trip and not one Jaune expected any trouble from. Vale was deep in the empire by its very heart, and Beacon was one of the most heavily defended locations in all of Remnant, so the odds of something going wrong were slim. And if something did go wrong Jaune could just hide behind the legions of bodies, guardsmen, gun turrets, artillery and thick slabs of adamantium till it all blew over.

"I said at least we won't freeze to death Ren."
"Ah. Very good commissar. Tea?"
"Thank you, Ren," Jaune said sipping a cup of steaming Tanna that Ren had put in front of his face. The man smiling his lips slurping up the bittersweet tea as she sighed.

"Nothing like good Tana right Ren?"
"Yes commissar," Ren said in his typical phlegmatic voice as he nodded. Jaune's second dressed in his green guardsman fatigue that he wore with pride more or less.

Tap! Tap! Tap! The sound of a fist pounding at a door alerted Jaune to it as he cocked his head.

"Ren?"
"Come in," Ren said as the door opened and a frazzled Ruby stumbled in. Her short red hair a mess her silver officer's uniform a mess and her slim form stained with several cookie crumbs and milk stains as-

"Commander Rose." Jaune drawled as Ruby righted herself straightening her back and flashing him a sharp salute.
"Commander Ruby Rose of the Atlesian one hundred and with reporting for duty Jaune!"
"Jaune?" Ren asked giving Ruby a demeaning glare as-

"AH! I mean commissar!"
"Better Ruby," Jaune said using her first name rather than her rank. He used that to display authority and to show that he was not above being a friend if not friendly. Jaune knew that no commissar should ever be friends with his men that did not mean you had to be enemies or not friendly at the very least.

"Sir!"
"Yes, Rose?"
"I was wondering!"
"Wondering what Ruby?"

"I was wondering if in Vale I could have some shore leave, sir!"
"Shore leave? For what?"
"I want to see my sister!"
"You have a sister?"
"Yes! She's a cannoness of the order of the purifying Rose!"

"A Sister of Battle?"
"Like Yang?" Jaune thoguht as he nodded.

"Sure Ruby, I don't see what that can't be arranged. You can see your sister once we land and have set up our base."
"Yay! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!" Ruby said jumping as Jaune noticed her budding assets. Ruby's ample if not confided chest strained against her uniform as she pumped her fist in the air.

"I won't let you down sir!"
"I know you won't."
"I'll be going!"
"Goodbye, Ruby."
"Bye, sir!" Ruby said blurring away as-

"She is energetic sir."
"She is. How is your girlfriend?" Jaune asked grinning as Ren actually blushed. Gagging as he flushed.

"What?! Sir, I don't have a girlfriend!"
"What about Flaka?"

"She's just a comrade sir! A relationship would be-

"GOod for you. Go on a date with her."
"But sir!"

"Go on a date with her Ren. I'm dating an Inquisitor and enemy to the emperor you can date you fellow guard right?"
"I... yes sir."
"Good man! Now get your gear we are about to touch down."
"Will we see Yang this time again sir?"
"Why not? Maybe we can take Ruby to see her with us? We might even get to mee their sisters along the way.